Car end structure



Feb. 2, 1937. M. H. MARTIN CAR END STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 11, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Zmfmv kw MMU .l

Feb. 2, 1937. M. H. MARTIN 2,059,516

CAR END STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 11, 1952 2 sheets-sheet 2 r n," WIWIYEFIWAIA A zz??? Mark H. Marfn to incorporating integral cheek platesy having Patented Feb. 2, 1937 CAR END STRUCTURE Mark H. Martin, Beading, Pa., assigner to Birdsboro Steel Foundry & Machine Company, Blrdsboro, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 11, 1932., serial No. 642,204

z claims. (o1. 10s- 403)v My invention relates to a car end structure and more particularly to an integral casting which is adapted for application and securement to 'the ends of the=principal under-framing of the car,

as well as, in certain types of cars, such as box cars and the like, to the ,upper-framing as well.

One object of my invention is to provide an integral casting of the character indicated which comprises the customary.end sill and integrally formed therewith cheek plates which are fashioned for attachment to the draft or center sills of the car and each of which is provided with a pair of aligned slots for the reception of the front and rear draft keys of a standard type of draft gear employing a horizontal yoke. v

A further object is to devise an integral casting as above'stated in which the'end sill, in addition aligned draft key slots, is also provided with integral portions adapted to act as the coupler striker' and the carry iron for the draw bar of the coupler.

A further object is to devise an end structurefor gondola cars 'wherein the yintegral end 'sill and cheek plate casting is further provided with flanges for attachment to the side sills of the car and is also integrally formed with corner'posts which provide rigid anchorages for the sides and .ends of the car body, as well as incorporatingv ilanges for direct attachment thereto of the side sheets.

' A further object is to provide an end structure for cars having end doors which includes a marginal door framing arranged to act as the structural basis for the end of the `car and to substandraft keys of a draft gear utilizing a. horizontal principal reliance is placed upon the car endstructure to protect the remaining portions of the car 'body against racking strains, it is most important that some device be provided which will strengthen and rigidify the end of the car and which will eifectually resist these service shocks. l

The integral casting disclosed in this application efiectually. solves the foregoing problem, particularly when .employed in connection with draft gears employing twin sets of draft keys, i. e., gears of the horirontalyoke type.- With such gears, it is contemplated that the end sill will yhave integrally formed therewith a pair of cheek plates which are adapted for attachment to the draft sills of they car and each of which includes a pair of aligned slots for Athe reception of the front and rear draft keys. By such an arrangement, it is possible to effect a more emcient and stronger connection of the end structure with the draft sills, 'as *wellas securing a better alignment of the key slots, so that a more accurate coordination of thedraft keys with the other portions of the draft gear is secured.

.Two types of car end structures in the present application, one being intended for use in connection with box cars having end doors, andthe other for attachment to the ends of gondola cars. In the former case, the end casting preferably includes a marginal framing which is arranged to receive the end doors, as well as to have directly attached thereto the roof and side sheets and the side plates located under the roof eaves, while in the gondola end structure, the end casting has integrally formed a pair of rigid corner posts upon which primary dependence is placed to resist the bulging strains against the car sidesl and to which the side sheets are directly attached. In each type of casting. whether for gondola or box cars, the integral end sill is further provided for attachment directly to the side sills and also integrally incorporates portions intended to function as the coupler striker and the carry iron for the coupler draw bar.

These and further objects of my' invention will `be set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and the novel meansby which said objects are eilectuated will be,deilnitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings: 6

Figure l is an end elevation of,one form of my improved car end structure which is intended for attachment to the ends of box cars provided with end doors. i

Fig'. 2 is an enlarged section taken along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing the relation of the integral cheek plates and the draft sills of the car.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view, partly in section, of the, central portion of the end sill; as viewed in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 2, showing vthe relation of the end casting to the associated parts of a draft gear having a horizontal yoke.

Fig. 4 is a section along the line l-l in Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing the manner in which the cheek plates overlie are described the web portions of the draft sills, with the marginal flanges of the key slots in the plates extending through appropriate slots in the sills.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of an end structure for use with gondola cars, showing the corner posts integral with the enddsill'. f l

Fig. 6 is anl enlarged sectionalong the line $-6 in Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing the relation of the integral cheek plates to the draft sills.

Fig. '7 is a plan view of the central portion of the end sill, corresponding generally to the view shown in Fig. 3, the major portion of the draft gear being omitted.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged elevation of the lower end of the casting, as viewed in the direction of the arrow 8 in Fig. 5.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the numeral I0 designates one form of my improved end structure which is intended for application tov the end of a boxv car employing end doors, and which comprises a one-piece casting-including an end frame II and an end sill I2. The frame II comprises apair of legs I 3, I3 which extend upwardly from the ends of the sill and each leg is formed with a marginal Aplate portion I4 that is flanged as at I5 on its outer edge for stiening and on which plate portions are formed hinge lugs I6 intended for the carriage ofthe end doors. The legs I3 are connected at the topby a crossmember I1 which also includes a marginal plate portion I 8 that is flanged inwardly as'at I 9 for direct attachment thereto of the roofv sheets 20. Preferably, the upper edge of the portion I8 slopes downwardly at any convenient angle from the ridge line of the roof. A continuous, integral flange 2I extends inwardly from the inner edges of the plates I4 and I8 to form the vertical flanges 22, 22 and the upper, horizontal flange 23, so that the vertical and upperplate portions possess generally a channel section.

'I'he junctions of the upper ends of the flanges 22 and 23 are preferably curved as at .24 to flt the customary type kof ldoors employed, while an auxiliary extension 25 is provided on each end of the flange 2 3 for connection with a similar extension 26 formed 'as a continuation of the upper ends of the flanges 22. There is thus formed a square corner at each upper end of the legs I3 for the reception of one end of a side plate 21 that is substantially a Zebar in section, as shown clearly in Fig. l. The web portion of the side platefrests on the extension 25, While the upper, vertical flange is secured to the outermost rib 28, several of such ribs being located between the flanges I9 and 23, and the ends of the ,roof sheet 20 are bent down and over these vertical flanges and riveted thereto. The lower vertical flange of the plate 21 extends downwardly along the extension 26, but is spaced slightly therefrom to permit the securing therebetween of the upper corner of the side sheet 29. lThe vertical edge of said sheet is secured in overlapping relation to the flange 22 along the length thereof, as shown in Fig. 1. The lower portion of the continuous flange 2| projects from the end sill I2 to form a beveled portion 30 (see Fig. 2) which slopes downwardly and outwardly from the interior of the car to constitute a threshold.

The foregoing portions of my improved. end structure are substantially identical with those disclosedl in my United States Letters Patent, No'. 1,850,283, dated March 22, 1932, but have been adverted to in the present instance as showing the manner in which such an end frame can be asaoeaeie sociated with an end sill provided with cheek plates adapted to coact with a draft gear of the horizontal yoke type.

The end sill I2 is formed as an integral casting with the door framing and includes upper'and lower flanges3i. and 32, respectively, which are joined by va connecting web 33. Strengthening ribs 34 may be disposed at appropriate intervals between said flanges and an extension 35 projects upwardly as a continuation of the web 33 to merge into the threshold 30, as shown in Fig. 2. As indicated inmy earlier patent, the-threshold 30, together with the continuous, integral flange 36 that extends along the legs I3 and cross member I1 normal to the flanges 2I and 23, re-

spectively, forms a seat for the doors which are customarily of the double variety.

The depth of the web 33 is increased at the midportion of the sill and extends forward from the vertical plane thereof to form a projection 3l.. A passage 38 extends through said projection for the reception of the draw bar 39 of a coupler (not shown). Above the opening 38, the projection 31 is generally channel-shaped yin section, as shown in Fig. 2, with the upper limb 40 thereof being a continuation of the upper flange 3I and the vertical web 48 being substantially flush with the upper, front side of the projection 31 and serving as a striker for the horns oi' the coupler. Below the Yopening 33, the projection 3l is also generally channel-shaped in section with the front limb 4I thereof being substantially flush with the lower portion of the projection 31, but 'preferably located inwardly of the surface of the striker 49, with the horizontal web 42 serving as a carrier for the draw bar 39.

The outer, vertical edges of the opening 38 are defined by the flanges 43 which extend toward each other, as shown in Fig. 3, for the purpose of limiting the swinging movement of the coupler when the car is rounding curves and to generally strengthen this portion of the structure against the impact of the draw bar during such movement. The flanges 43 are connected by means of webs 44 to the vertical web 33 of the end sill and extending inwardly from said last-named web in substantial alignment with the web 44 is a pair of cheek plates 45. These plates are cast integrally with the end sill and each is providedV with a front slot 46 and a rear slot "which are aligned with each other and intended for the reception of front and rear draft keys 48 and 49,

respectively, both of said keys also'extending through appropriate slots provided in a horizontal yoke 50 that is suitably associated with a draft gear generally denoted by the numeral 5I. Each of the key slots is defined by acontinuous flange 52 that extends laterally of the cheek plates in each direction and these key slots ilt closely within open-ended slots 53 provided in the adjacent draft sills 54. Rigid attachment between the draft sills and the cheek plates is provided by means of rivets 55. The relation between the slots in the draft sills and the 4marginal flanges around the slots in the cheek plates not only provides for an easy and 'convenient assemblyof these parts, but also by reason of the substantial interlocking of the slot flanges with the draft sillsinsures a general strengthening of this portion of the car construction.

As a further strengtheningprovision, the depth of the upper flange 3I of the end sill is increased as at 56 over the draw bar and this depth extensionis integrally formed with the cheek plates 45, as shown clearly in Fig. 4, the outer edges of the extension projecting through slots 51 provided in the draft sills and bending downwardly on the outside of the vertical webs of said sills to form the cheek plates. The flange 58 also provides a convenient point of attachment for the end of the cover plate 56* overlying the draft sills.

At each end of the end -si1l, a vertical flange 58 is provided for direct attachment to the adjacent ends of the side sills 59. 'I'he lower ends of the side sheets 28 -are also secured to the flanges 58.

According to the above invention, therefore, a

j structure is provided that is susceptible of being tied to the principal framing of the car and which is particularly adaptable for-use in connection with cars provided with draft gears having horizontal yokes. The end structure is capable of being cast in onev piece for direct attachment to the end of a car, with obvious advantages resulting from the simplication of assembly problems inherent in the handling of a single piece, as contrasted with a multiple of parts as is now common in the building of an end structure formed of numerous parts which are riveted together. One of the principal advantages of the structure is the manner in which the cheek plates are associated with the draft sill for the purpose of generally strengthening the car in this location and also the positive assurance that is had from an incorporation within a single casting of the twin slots for the draft keys. Such an arrangement insures an accurate alignment of the draft keys and therefore a most eiiiclent transmission of the draw bar pull to the car, free of any undue strain on the draft gear parts.

In the modification, illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8, inclusive, the numeral 80 designatesan end structure which is more particularly intended for use in connection with a gondola car and which comprises an end sill 6l and corner posts 62, all integrally cast together, with the corner posts functioning as the principal support for the sides `of the car, in conjunction with the usual side stakes. As indicated, each corner post is generally of angle shapev in horizontal cross-section, and comprises vertically disposed wings B3 and 5I which are tied together at their upper ends by a cap 65. Extending outwardly from each' corner post is a ange 66 that is united with the adjacent wing 5l by means of a rib 61. Theflange 66 is intended for the direct attachment thereto of one end of V,a bar 58 which defines the top edge of the side ofthe car. Each wing 64 may be lalso aperl tured as at 89 for the purpose of receiving rivets as a means of attaching the side sheets of the car to the corner post. The lower end of the corner post may be substantially enlarged as at 10, as a continuationof the-wing 8l, to provide for the attachment of the side sill 1l and Such other side members as may be desirable.

The end sill 8| is generally of channel sectionI the same relation thereto as shown in Fig. 1. It will be unnecessary, therefore, to discuss this portion of the end casting in any detail.

An abutment flange 18 extends upwardly from the end sill ange 12 intermediate the side edges thereof and is intendedto operate as a partial backing for that type of door in gondola cars which swings inwardly of the car to lie flat on the floor thereof, thus opening the ends of the car and permitting the carriage of girder, or other articles having a length greater than the length of e car. 'I'his abutment flange is tied into the end sill in a manner to generally strengthen the casting in this locality and it extends transversely of the car for integral merging with the corner posts. The flange 12 is extended inwardly of the c ar beyond the abutment ilange 18 to form a flange that is located centrally of the end sill and to which the draft sill cover plate 8l is attached. The ends of the flange 80 merge into the cheek plates 18 in a manner generally similar to that illustrated in Fig. 4.

An end casting of the type shown in Fig. 5 possesses generally the same advantages as have been set forth in connection with the box car type of end structure, but, in addition, possessesv several important advantages which are peculiar to this type of car. In gondola cars, the corner posts are the principal point of weakness, since the resistance of the' car sides to bulging forces largely depends upon the' strength of the corner post construction. These bulging forces are, of course, accentuated by the bufilng action of the coupler, so that it is important to provide an end casting that will not only efdciently contain the static lading through a proper corner post construction, but-will-also tie in this portion of the end casting with other portions thereof, and, in particular, with the draft sills.

I claim:

` 1. In car construction, the combination of a pair of spaced draft sills, each having an elongated slot in the vertical web thereof and a laterally directed flange including a slot adjacent its vupper edge, and a car end structure formed as a one-piece casting comprising an end sill, uprights at the ends of said sill for attachment to -the side sheets, cheek plates integral with said sill for attachment to the draft sills, each plate including a pair of aligned slots for receiving the draft keys of an 'associated draft gear, and.

as a one-piece casting comprising an end sill.,

cheek plates integral with said sill for attachment to the draft sills, each plate including" a pair of aligned slots registering respectively with the slots in the sills for receiving the draft keys of an as,

sociated draft gear, and a flange connecting said n cheek plates through the slots in the sill flanges and adapted for attachment to the cover plate for the draft sills.

MARK H.' MARTIN. 

